Not the same
by RueYumi
Summary: Torn from a decision to choose between her friends or her family, which one would she choose? - A story of a lost spider. No pairings at the beginning. Possible KilluaxOC at some point.
1. Prologue

Yay! This is my first published fanfic and currently, I can't stop thinking about HxH. Creative criticisms are very welcome. Also, I really appreciate Reviews, they make me want to do better.

Enjoy~!

I edited the first three chapters, thanks to Cookie Krisp!

**DISCLAIMER: Hunter x Hunter along with all the characters and plot doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the awesome mangaka - Togashi Yoshihiro.**

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**Prologue**

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_The moon shone brightly through the cracks of the old dilapidated building. Dark silhouettes remained still, blending in with their hollowed surroundings. The wind was bland and steady yet chilly in a way – just like the spiders lurking in the darkness. They were wide awake; their listless breathing were barely audible even from the tranquility of the night._

_A man stood stationary in the middle while the others were scattered around the ruins. He was the head and they were the legs. His black hair was slicked back and his forehead was adorned with a cross; a black coat hugged his well-built body. He wore a stoic face. His eyes were drenched in nothingness but the corners of his lips were slightly curled upwards._

_In front of him was a small girl covered in crimson liquid. Fresh blood dripped from the tips of her petite fingers. Her face was devoid of any emotion but her eyes betrayed her facade. Her twin black orbs were filled with sorrow and doubt. Her heart was heavy but she didn't know why._

"_It's done," her voice cracked as she spoke those two simple words. She tried to avoid the searching gaze of her brother but her efforts were futile._

"_What's wrong?" instead of an accolade, the man chose to ask what was bothering the little girl as he noticed the gloomy expression of his sister. He needed to know._

_A few moments passed but the girl remained silent and stiff. This is what he feared. He sent her to harvest a thousand souls and yet she went home confused and depressed even though the task was precisely and skillfully completed. She was supposed to be the perfect killing machine – a prodigy. However, she lacked the fundamental component. Her conviction was weak. She felt bad about killing innocent people. She didn't want to do it if there is no reason to. Her severely contorted face proved this._

"_If you want to be strong, you have to find your weakness first. Remember that your opponent will search for this important element in order to beat you. You need to hide your weakness so that you can survive. Do you understand?"_

"_Yes, Nii-san."_

_Again, silence enveloped the area while the man assessed the thoughts of the little girl. Her face displayed sadness then shock and then pain._

"_I'll tell you something…You're too soft."_

_Her fist slowly clenched as tiny droplets formed on the lower lid of her melancholic eyes. She refused to look back at her brother and bowed her head low to avoid the other member's gazes. They were disappointed. He was disappointed. She can easily tell from the way they look at her. Eyes that barely reflected any light; eyes that finds their way to the depths of your soul. She knew because that's the same look she gives to the people she had murdered._

"_What should I do?" her voice was fierce yet broken. She couldn't stop the tears from escaping her eyes. Soft sobs escaped her lips. She felt weak and she didn't like it. "I don't want to be weak!"_

"_On the contrary, you are not weak. Everybody has their own weaknesses. But, do something about yours because it might cost you your life…or the spider's" the last phrase was not meant to be heard but the little girl's keen ears were able to pick it up._

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Reviews please~


	2. Chapter 1  Whale Island

First chapter! Sorry if it's a bit short. I'll try harder on the next one.

I edited the first three chapters, thanks to Cookie Krisp!

**DISCLAIMER: Hunter x Hunter along with all the characters and plot doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the awesome mangaka - Togashi Yoshihiro. **

* * *

**Chapter 1: Whale Island**

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It was hot outside on that particular afternoon. There were barely any traces of clouds in the sky and the sun shone brightly throughout that great expanse. The streets of the Whale Island dock area were crowded with various people. Disheveled and stale shops outlined the roads of the vicinity. There were people running and shouting throughout the sea of people. The ambiance of the place was very ragged yet lively. It was the day the ship will leave to Dole for the hunter exams.

A little girl strolled along the chaos of the streets. She was clothed in a short white dress with a black ribbon that goes down to the middle of her thighs and black shorts underneath. She was also wearing black boots that goes up to her knees. A long black hooded jacket protected her skin from the violent rays of the sun. Just think about a modern, black and white, red riding hood and you will get the picture. Dangling from her ears were two black cross-shaped earrings. Her long black hair cascaded behind her while framing her face perfectly. She stopped in mid-stride as she noticed a crowd forming at the side of the road.

_"I might as well look. The ship won't be leaving until 6,"_ the girl pondered about this for a few moments before deciding to take a peek to kill off her boredom. She fought her way through the crowd since her height is not really that helpful. She squeezed her tiny body to reach the front of the line earning grunts of annoyance from the people around her. She settled down once she caught a full view of the scene.

There was some kind of platform in the middle of the crowd and two men stood on top. They started explaining about their racket. Apparently, one of them is a hunter or at least that was what they were claiming. The smaller man held out a good sum of money for the people to see. Whoever wins against the 'hunter' in arm wrestling will win the cash. Murmurs echoed as the 'hunter' won four times in a row. At that point, nobody else wanted to try out for the challenge.

A few moments later, a hand shoot out above the pool of heads and a man with black hair wearing a suit walked to the front. Both of them readied their arms on top of the makeshift table and at the count of three, they began their duel. Their glares held no malice but a pure will to win. A minute passed and the man in the suit seems to be winning until the 'hunter' forcefully pushed his hand all the way through and therefore winning the match. The man in the suit ended facing the ground after being thrown from the impact of the takedown. Gasps were heard from the rest of the people watching the scene. By now, their faces were painted with a mixture of terror and confusion as they assess their chance of winning.

"So, who else wants to fight? If no one else will, Hunter-sama will take the reward!" shouted the small man who was holding the money.

Another hand shoots up and the attention of the crowd was redirected to the small figure standing in front of the platform. Numerous sneering, mocking, and belittling sounds came from the multitude. Some were even laughing and sniggering. The little black-haired girl ignored the congregation and made her way to the makeshift table where her opponent was smirking widely in arrogance. Her hood shadowed most of her face but a clear soft smile appeared on her mouth.

"Hey, little girl, are you sure about this? I won't hold back, you know," the 'hunter' warned.

"Of course, Hunter-sama," she kept her gaze on the man in front of her.

The two contestants positioned their arms for the battle. The 'hunter' still has his stupid grin on his face while the little girl kept her sweet smile plastered on her face. The crowd was still elated from the appearance of the challenger. The small man holding the money held the clasped hands of the contenders; his face also showed his amusement.

"Ready…GO!"

In a matter of seconds, the 'hunter' had his arms bent on an awkward position on the table and on top of that is the petite but firmly gripping hand of the girl. Nobody dared to speak a word. Their mouths hung open and their eyes were wide in surprise. The little girl innocently jumped down from the platform and made her way through the crowd.

"Wait! Don't you want your reward?" the small man was the one who spoke first.

"No thanks, mister," the little girl looked backed at the silenced group with her chaste smile still on her lips.

Why would she want that reward? Ten thousand jennies is just a small amount for her. And perhaps, if she really wanted that money, she could have stolen it right away without anybody noticing. It was more fun that way. That's what _they_ always do.

* * *

As she made her way out of the chaos, she noticed the black-haired man in the suit also making his way out of the crowd. He was munching on an apple and a spiky black-haired boy with a fishing rod trailing behind him. She took note of the two peculiar people and decided to search for food.

After walking around the area, she found a decent eatery. The canteen was small and greasy but it was the best she could find. The other shops were filled with brawling men and drunkards. She sat near the open part of the eatery next to a teenage boy with blonde hair. The girl ordered and ate her meal in peace letting her mind drift away.

"_Maybe I overdid it. But nah…I'm pretty sure I didn't break his arms. It should be a lesson for him. Nobody especially a hunter should ever underestimate his or her opponent. Nii-san always reminds me of that. Oh well, for sure that man isn't even a hunter. And the man in the suit…I'm also pretty sure that he can win against that 'hunter' guy," h_er train of thoughts was cut off as shrieks filled her ears.

"Girl, don't move! There's a poisonous spider beside you!" a man she assumed as the owner of the eatery shouted to her in a worried voice.

Everybody else in the shop had their faces contorted with horror. Most of the diners were now standing and moving away from her table. She glanced to her left and identified the threat they were buzzing about. A hairy spider, the size of her palm, crept closer to her plate. _"This is so ironic…" _The girl thought, not paying attention to the hairy intruder. The blonde man on her left also noticed the spider and took action since nobody in the background dared to 'rescue' the little girl. In a swift motion, he caught the spider in his fork and threw it to a wooden post. The spider scampered away from the scene.

"_Interesting…" _she thought.

* * *

After the spider incident during lunch, the black-haired girl incessantly continued her tour around the docks of Whale Island. The rest of the wait was interminable as she lost sight of the three people that caught her interest before. She spent three grueling hours of sightseeing and window shopping noting the different kinds of delinquency that took over the place.

An hour before the departure of the ship, she decided to stand by the dock and watch the azure sky. Their headquarters were always dark and murky. Whenever she went to a mission, her mind was always too concentrated to achieve their goal in the quickest manner. She never had the chance to watch a sunrise nor a sunset. Standing there, watching the clouds roll by was so new to her. Deep inside, she felt _free _at that very moment. But why? It's not like she's being held captive by her own family, right? She was raised like that and that's the world she grew up in. She didn't criticize them for not showing her the other features of life which seems to be taken for granted by normal people.

The ship she was going to board was called Kaijinmaru. It arrived several minutes after she stopped by the docks. The Kaijinmaru was definitely aged in the outer appearance. It was moderate in size but it was definitely in good shape. The girl did not expect anything more and so she boarded the vessel without second thoughts.

Seemingly, she was the first passenger to arrive. She was greeted with half-hearted glares from the crew of the ship. They probably did not expect a lone 12-year old girl to take the hunter exams. Only one person stood out from the people on board. It was a hefty old man with bushy black beard. His nose was covered in red paint. The other crew members regarded him with high respect as they followed his every command. Clearly, this man was the captain of the ship.

After a few more minutes of waiting, several men started filing in the ship. A loud honking noise startled everyone which signifies that the Kaijinmaru will be leaving the dock soon. The girl spotted a familiar face from the crowd of passengers. The blonde man from the eatery was also aboard the ship sitting comfortably with his eyes closed. She tried to search for the fishing rod boy and the suit man from before but unfortunately, they weren't there. The ship began to stir to the direction of the sunset. The sky was set ablaze as the sun descended behind the blanket of sea in the horizon.

"The ship is leaving! Raise the sails!" the captain instructed. Everyone seemed relieved but the tranquility of the sunset was broken by the dynamic entrance of a certain pair.

"Wait for us!" the little boy shouted, "I was going to ride on that ship!"

"Me too!" the man in the suit agreed as he carried his suitcase with him and ran together with the little boy.

"You're late. This ship is not going to turn back. You will have to swim over here!" the captain teased them which raised several insults and mockeries directed to the running pair from the arrogant passengers watching the scene unfold.

They ALMOST didn't make it since the ship was far away by the time they arrived at the dock. The girl watched in amusement as the fishing rod boy and his companion raced with the ship. They ran on top of the mountain of rocks and made their reckless jump. The boy used his fishing rod to swing the both of them towards the mast of the ship. The fishing rod boy landed skillfully at the deck reeling in his rod while the suitcase man landed face-first. The girl let out a small giggle that she wasn't able to hide.

_"So far, so good."_

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Next chapter will be uploaded soon. Review please~!


	3. Chapter 2 The Storm

Chapter 2 is up! Little girl's name is revealed in this chapter.

Comments and reviews are very welcome.

Enjoy~!

I edited the first three chapters, thanks to Cookie Krisp!

**DISCLAIMER: Hunter x Hunter along with all the characters and plot doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the awesome mangaka - Togashi Yoshihiro.**

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**Chapter 2: The Storm**

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The recently boarded passengers of the Kaijinmaru entertained themselves in different ways since traveling to Dole Island will take some time as the captain declared. Everyone seems to be relaxing and taking their time while the captain and crew walked aimlessly around the ship observing the aspiring hunters. The little black-haired girl sat patiently on top of the railings of the ship in order to get a clear view of the passengers. Her legs were swinging alternately while letting the cool wind caress her skin. Her black orbs scanned the rest of the deck, willing to find something to entertain herself. She spotted the captain's group stop their tour when they began to criticize a large muscular man who was seen throwing up the contents of his stomach.

"How pathetic! A big guy like that getting sea-sick with these calm waves," one of the crew members stated.

"It happens every time," the captain replied, "by the time we reach Dole Island he'll run out of things to throw up and probably be left with skin and bones."

Mocking laughter rung out through the deck. The patrolling captain and his crew started talking again among themselves while continuing their stroll. The girl's keen eyes followed suit. Suddenly, her eyes brighten a little bit as she saw some action happening. One of the crew members left the group to skillfully catch a knife. Apparently, a knife-wielder was aimlessly throwing his knife on the air striking some sea birds in the process. The other passengers started clumping around the knife-wielder and the crew member who were having a little fight.

"You can throw a knife but…can you catch it?"

The crew member smirked knowingly at his opponent. He passed the knife, back and forth, between his two hands which made the knife-wielder growl in annoyance. The people started betting on who will win. It was fun watching while it lasted until the captain ordered the rest of the crew to throw the knife-wielder out to sea.

"Listen everyone…this is my ship so every one of you must follow what I say. Those that I don't like will be forced to leave the ship like that guy!"

"I got something!" silence captured the ship again until the fishing rod boy caught the attention of everybody. He hoisted his rod and a fierce-looking fish emerged from the ocean.

"A Flying Bonto is not just rare but it's also hard to catch," the captain praised. However, the boy's mood suddenly became distressed and doubtful.

"A storm is coming. I can hear it and the birds are stressed as well."

"How strong is it? And when do you think will it hit us?" the captain inquired. His face showed raw surprise from the words of the boy.

"It's strong…I think at this pace, it'll hit us in two hours."

The captain laughed heartily. From his whole career as a ship captain, this boy was the second one to predict the storm with that accuracy. The little black-haired girl watched the scene carefully and decided that the little boy really has admirable animal instincts.

"Let down the sails! You still have two hours!" the captain announced and the crew scampered to their stations.

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An hour and a half later, the sky was engulfed in darkness while loud rumbling came from the heavens. The chilly wind blew heavily which made the little girl shiver a little from the sudden change of atmosphere. Lightning lit up the sky for brief moments indicating the arrival of the storm. The mast of the ship started glowing an eerie violet which caught everyone's attention.

"What is that?"

"It's St. Elmo's Fire."

"St. Elmo's Fire?" echoed the fishing rod boy.

The blonde guy from the eatery interjected his explanation like a walking encyclopedia, "During a thunderstorm or if an electrically charged cloud is above, static energy that accumulates at the high places, like the top of a mast, becomes strong enough to result in a glowing discharge."

"You've finally said something," the suitcase man taunted.

From the looks of the blonde guy, he was deeply offended by what the suitcase man said even though no one in particular really paid attention to him. It looks like both of them have a grudge at each other.

"Among sailors it is said that one who see St. Elmo's fire can't return alive. A big storm is coming," the captain warned again.

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By the time the storm's rage became more pronounced, all the passengers have been moved to the cabin. There were a lot of ways to describe the turmoil in the cabin. For some it might be a wicked roller coaster ride while others might feel they are forced into a blender machine. It was definitely worst than any earthquakes. The contents of the cabin were rolling back and forth. Bodies of people slid along the floor. Helpless screaming came out from every direction. The captain went down to the cabin to assess how the passengers were fairing. He was very disappointed to see such pathetic hunter hopefuls. However, he noticed four people stand out from the crowd.

First is the fishing rod boy who predicted the storm in such precision. He was assisting those who are lying around while handing out some medicine. Next is the suitcase man. He was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and admiring his face on a mirror as he fixes his businessman suit. The blonde guy, on the other hand, was resting peacefully on top of a makeshift hammock with his eyes shut – probably trying to get some sleep. The last one is the little black-haired girl sitting on a corner. She was wearing a pair of headphones and the lids of her eyes are also tightly knitted. Her right foot tapping on the floor in accord to a rhythm.

"The four of you…what are your names?" the captain addressed the four conscious people in the cabin.

"I'm Gon."

"Leorio."

"My name is Kurapica."

"…"

"How about you, little girl?" the captain asked again with a higher voice than before as he realized that the girl wasn't paying attention to the group introduction.

"Huh?" the girl opened her eyes and asked ignorantly while removing her headphones and hanging it loosely at her neck.

"What's your name?" the fishing rod boy named Gon asked in place of the captain. His childish grin was wide and his huge animated eyes were screaming in delight like how they always were.

"Kiyomi…My name is Kiyomi," she answered happily returning the smile.

"Gon, Leorio, Kurapica, Kiyomi…why do you want to be hunters?" the captain asked again.

"Why should we answer you? You're not an examiner," the suitcase man named Leorio protested but Gon cut his complaint and answered first.

"I want to know what my father's work is like!" Gon's right hand was held high like a student trying to catch the teacher's attention.

"Hey, not so fast, brat. Who told you to answer? Don't you have any team spirit?"

"I'm giving my reasons, what's wrong with that?"

"You shouldn't, that's all."

"I agree with this guy," came Kurapica's approval but Leorio decided to take it as an insult.

"Eh! How old are you? Were you never told to respect your elders? Call me Leorio-san not 'that guy'!" but Leorio's protest was left hanging in the air while Kurapica continued his explanation directed to the captain.

"Speaking honestly in front of people I've just met…my reasons are mine and personal. That is why it is impossible for me to answer you in this place."

"Well, in that case, you must get off my ship as soon as possible. You still do not understand? The hunter exam has already begun," the captain exclaimed and he held out his hunter's license for the four to see, "you can't ignore that there as many applicants to be hunter as there are stars in the sky; because of the lack of time and space, it's impossible to judge everyone so guys like me are used to diminish the number of candidates. The decision of whether or not you go to the exams belongs to me so put away your mistrust and answer my question."

Kiyomi silently walked towards the bickering group and decided to listen in closely as the events started to get interesting again.

"I have no particular reason. A friend of mine suggested taking the exams to pass time," the captain gave her a small nod and turned his gaze to the other two.

"Damn it," Leorio cursed, "I guess I'll tell you, the reason I want to become a hunter…"

"I am a survivor of the Kuruta tribe," the blonde injected.

"Hey! I'm trying to talk here!" Leorio's explanation was cut off by Kurapica which agitated him more while the blonde continued on with his reason.

"I want to be a hunter that captures criminals with a price on their heads. Black List Hunter. Four years ago, my comrades were massacred by the Genei-Ryodan also called Spider. I want to capture them."

"All of the Genei-Ryodan members are Class-A criminals. Even a skilled hunter can't mess with them. You'll die meaninglessly," the captain warned.

"I'm not afraid of death. What I am afraid of is that this anger will fade away someday."

After hearing this, the girl on the background flinched mentally. That's why Kuruta seems so familiar, the warriors with glowing red eyes. Four years ago, there was a big mission and her brother forbade her to take part in it. She was only allowed to observe. They were strong but that wasn't the reason why she can't participate in the bloodbath. The murder of the Kuruta clan served as a lesson for her. Her brother wanted to show her how it was done. They were worried that she wasn't ready and she might spare some of their prey. They brought home those red eyes and she kept a pair to remind herself to let go of the sympathy. It made her insides frozen. All those battered bodies, all those cries of pain and all those blood spilt on the ground was carved on the depths of her memory. The captain was right. She wanted to hit the blonde for wishing something unattainable. But then, she realized it wasn't his fault that he wants revenge so badly. She wanted to say sorry for it is her fault that her brother ordered the clan to be wiped away. She was weak back then according to them. Going after them would surely be suicide. _The Spider is immortal._

"You say a lot of things. If you want revenge, you don't have to become a hunter to do that," Leorio scolded.

"That's one of the most stupid inquiries. There are places, information, actions, and a lot more that can't be accessed unless you are a hunter, Leorio."

"I told you to call me Leorio-san!"

"So, what's the reason for you Leorio-san?" the captain continued his interrogation setting aside the dispute between Leorio and Kurapica.

"Me? I don't want to give a made-up answer, so I'll be honest…" a malicious expression crossed Leorio's face. "MONEY! If I have money, I can get anything…a large house, a good car and even women!" The weird man started cackling to himself making everybody look at him as if he was going to lose himself.

"You can't buy civility, Leorio."

"That's the third time. Step outside. Looks like you filthy Kuruta tribe people don't know any manners."

"Take those words back!"

"I'm not finished yet!" the captain yelled but the two were already heading up to the deck to finish their business.

"Let them fight. If you want to know someone, start by finding out what makes him mad. That's what Aunt Mito always says," Gon said. Sensing the fun has left the cabin, Kiyomi ran past Gon and the captain and head over to the fight which is about to commence on the deck.

* * *

The wind blew ferociously, mixing with the cold droplets of water from the skies. The storm was still raging and the ship was being tossed in all directions but the two souls ignored the commotion and continued glaring at each other with pure hatred in their eyes. Lightning lit up the sky and the crew of the Kaijinmaru rushed around plugging holes and fixing lines from around the area. This was the scene that Kiyomi witnessed once she reached the deck.

Unexpectedly, in the midst of all the chaos, a crew member named Gatso who was fixing the main mast fell from the highest point of the ship. The ocean seemed to be reaching out for him, willing to swallow him in whole. Four people dashed to the scene and reach over the falling crew member.

Leorio and Kurapica both extended their arms in an effort to catch the feet of Gatso since he was falling head-first. Their effort was futile as he slipped past their fingers. That was until Gon leapt out of the boat and caught both of Gatso's feet while Leorio and Kurapica caught Gon's feet. They all thought the trouble was gone until the ship veered violently to their side. Each one let out a yell of surprise as the other crew members watch in terror. Leorio and Kurapica almost slipped from the ship but a swift hand reached them in time. Kiyomi pulled on the back of their clothes and concentrated her nen on her feet to stabilize herself. They were hoisted back to the deck by the remaining crew members.

The storm receded several minutes later. The wind and the ocean went back to its calm demeanor and the clouds came into sight. Leorio and Kurapica sat on the floor of the deck. The older man was stripped out of his businessman suit and was left with his necktie and shorts as he waited for his clothes to dry. Kiyomi was sitting on top of a barrel near the two; her head was plopped on her palm while Gon stood at the other side looking out into the serene ocean.

"How can you do something so reckless?" Leorio broke the silence and he directed his half-annoyed question to Gon.

"Yes, it was foolish," the blonde added.

"If we didn't catch you, you would've dropped into the ocean with that guy," Kiyomi said, her head nodding in approval.

"But…you guys caught me!" Gon's stupid grin was back on his face when he turned to the babbling group scolding him.

The other three looked at him incredulously. _Deep inside, Kiyomi didn't know why she had helped them. She was supposed to observe, watch and entertain herself while she's away from the Ryodan. The other reason she felt different was because she can't understand how carefree this Gon person is. Saving someone who isn't even related to you is very difficult to comprehend._

"What happened to that duel?" Kiyomi asked to stop herself from thinking so much. Upon hearing her question, Gon sat beside Kurapica and listened in closely. Leorio let out a slightly reluctant answer.

"Duel? Oh yeah, we were doing something like that."

"I'm sorry, Leorio-san," the Kuruta boy apologized sincerely.

"Sheesh, you're acting formal," Leorio said as he scratched the back of his head in aversion.

"You can call me Leorio, Kurapica. I apologize too. I take back all those words I said against your tribe."

_Again, Kiyomi can't easily comprehend why the two are apologizing just like that. It was really weird being with these people. Her heart felt really light. It was a very weird feeling, the sensation of your heart melting. She eventually found herself smiling at the group. _

The captain let out a laugh as he announced his good news, "The four of you pass."

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Sorry if the chapter doesn't focus that much on Kiyomi yet. Don't worry, there will be more of her soon. Review please~!


	4. Chapter 3 The Quiz

This chapter is a bit short i think. It's also in the Kiyomi's POV.

Comments and reviews are welcome and appreciated.

Enjoy~!

**DISCLAIMER: Hunter x Hunter along with all the characters and plot doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the awesome mangaka - Togashi Yoshihiro.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Quiz**

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Kiyomi'S POV

Eventually, the ship halted at a dock near Zaban City which is apparently, the location of the main Hunter Exams. It was a bright morning after the rough storm. The sun was up on the clear sky and everybody seems to have forgotten the whole ordeal that took place last night. Only four distinct passengers left the ship. Before we could go on any further, the bubbly fishing rod boy yelled a phrase of gratitude and farewell to the crew of the ship.

"The easiest way to Zaban City is through that tall tree on top of that hill. A married couple lives in there. They are navigators and they will take you directly to the location of the exams," this was the captain's parting knowledge given to the four us.

I stopped abruptly when I sensed an unfamiliar presence. It wasn't a threat but it was definitely eavesdropping. I hated it when people listen in to other people's private conversations. I hated intruders. They always added to my workload back in the Ryodan. Since my 'En' was one of the widest in the group, whenever I felt a presence near our headquarters, I was given the privilege to eliminate it right away. Yet, that wasn't the case now. I couldn't just go and kill anyone in here.

"What's wrong Kiyomi-chan?" Gon worriedly inquired. The two on the front also stopped to look back.

"Nothing, let's go," I replied and smiled, completely ignoring the stranger watching us.

The area around the dock was filled with strange looking men, "_They are probably here for the hunter exams as well. Too bad, there are no potential candidates around here."_

Soon, the four of us reached a notice board which displayed the map of the place. Ignoring the argument among the boys whether they should go to the tree or take the bus, I already made up my mind. Whatever they choose, I'm going to the tree like the captain said. The busses were cramped with those sweaty old men. Also, it would be too easy if I take the bus. Going through the forest sounds more interesting.

I was brought out of my thoughts when a familiar presence made its way to us. It was the same person who was stalking our group since we dismounted the ship. I spun around to stare at the approaching figure, making sure that my impassive face displays friendliness or something of that sort. Clearly, the approaching man didn't expect us to notice him since his expression showed his surprise. He was definitely sneaking from behind but recovered immediately and returned the friendly gesture.

"Hi, my name is Mashu! I heard you guys are heading to the tall tree on top of that hill. I'm also going there and I'm searching for a companion, would you like to come with me?" the stalker spoke with confidence as he held out his hand to each one of us to shake. The three guys behind me also turned to look at the stranger. I shook his hand to compliment my expression.

"Pleased to meet you, Mashu-san!" I shook his hand.

Gon followed suit, "I'm also going to the tree, let's go together!"

"I guess this is goodbye for now. I'm taking the bus. See you on the exams!" Leorio announced.

* * *

One left but somebody else joined. I didn't care. I could have gone alone but I still wanted to watch these people. Especially Gon, I can tell that he has the tendency to become very strong someday. However, I tried to maintain a little distance between Kurapica and I. He's very observant and I don't know, maybe I was worried that he might be a threat to the Ryodan? Pfft.

We kept on walking through the terrains of the hill. That was until the lazy stalker Mashu asked Gon for a piggy back ride because according to him, he tripped at a root and his ankle got injured. _Liar._ Gon, being his naïve self, didn't even think twice and carried the grown up man on his back.

"There might be some herbs in this forest that will help your injury heal, Mashu-san! I'll see what I can find," said Gon before he darted off to the heart of the forest. I had to suppress a laugh when I saw the stalker's annoyed face and I had to say that Kurapica was also thinking the same thing as me.

"Mashu-san, please stay here and wait for Gon. Kurapica-san and I will also try to look for medicine."

"Wait, don't leave me here!" his pleads were too late. We ditched him pretty quickly. I swiftly climbed a tree and activated 'Zetsu' to watch from above. I also sensed the Kuruta boy hid himself behind some thick bush. This is going to be fun, I can tell.

"Damn! We shouldn't be wasting time here," Mashu let out a few more colorful words escape his mouth as he stood up from his 'disabled' state.

Suddenly, he froze on the spot. In front of him was a fearsome looking rhino. He started backing away slowly while carefully taking out his weapons. I was practically waiting for something fun to happen like 'Mashu being chased by the rhino' or 'Mashu screaming out for help' but no, Kurapica just had to save the day. He leapt out from the bushes from behind mister stalker and prepared to fight the rhino. Gon also emerged from the bushes and walked calmly to the angered creature.

"Gon, it's already enraged. We have to kill it," Kurapica warned Gon but the boy didn't even give him a glance.

"It's okay. It just felt threatened because it thought we were going to take his territory," the boy began talking with the rhino to calm it down. I wonder how he communicates with those animals. It was working perfectly until a certain man in a suit decided to show up and hit the rhino's head with a suitcase. Unfortunately for him, he was the one chased by the rhino leaving the others dumbfounded.

In the end, he was forced to stay on a branch while pleading for Gon to take the rhino away. Eventually, it did and he was able to come down from the tree.

"Why are you here Leorio? I thought you were going to take the bus?" Kurapica asked the older man.

"Oh, I just thought you guys still might need my company, that's all," the man replied while laughing as if he was a hero of some sort.

I stuck out my tongue and yelled, "Liar!"

"Ok, ok. The other reason was because the bus was a trap. The driver kept on driving around that place."

"Stop your chit-chatting. We're wasting time here," stalker guy declared. His face was still contorted with irritation.

"Look at the positive side. Your foot magically healed, Mashu-san," Kurapica teased which made the stalker more annoyed.

* * *

An hour of walking in the dense forest passed and we reached a small town. It was quiet and there was something really odd about the place. Leorio thought there were no residents at all but he was wrong. Gon and Kurapica said that they can hear the breathing and footsteps of the hidden residents. There were around fifty of them according to my 'en' but they can't harm us. I believe they can't even fight.

Suddenly, an old woman emerged from an alley and white-clothed, masked children followed after her. They blocked our path.

"If you want to pass, you need to answer a quiz!" the old woman yelled, "If one of you gets the correct answer then I'll let you pass."

"A quiz? What kind of test is this? I don't have time for this, I'm going to find another path," Leorio whined but it was too late. Behind us, a crowd of masked children appeared preventing anyone from backing out.

"I think this is okay. I'm not really good at quizzes so I'm lucky I'm with you guys," Gon said happily. What an optimistic child.

"Hey, grandma, let me go first. I don't want to fail because of these idiots," finally, Mashu-san showed his true color, "Sorry Gon, I don't plan to be friends with you guys."

Leorio was about to launch at the stalker guy but Kurapica held him back, "its okay, Leorio. In this way, we'll know what kind of questions they will give."

"Okay. Answer only with 1 or 2, any other answers will be considered wrong. The question is 'If your mother and your girlfriend are captured by thieves and you can only save one, who would you save?' Answer 1 if you choose your mother, 2 if you choose your girlfriend. I'll give you 5 seconds…,"

Honestly, I didn't know what to answer if I was on his place. I believe it would depend on who you love most, right? But that varies between every person. I racked my brain for any logical explanation but found none.

"1," Mashu answered.

"Why?"

"A girlfriend can be replaced but we only have one mother."

Still, I didn't understand. I don't even know who my mother is. Kuroro never talked about our parents. It made me wonder if we really have parents at all.

The old woman and the children formed a circle as they discussed the answer. She went back to Mashu and said, "Pass this way."

"Are you mocking us? What's with that weird quiz?" Leorio shouted on the top of his lungs. He ranted on but I wasn't listening. I was more focused on tracing Mashu-san's aura. All of a sudden, it stopped. Gon and Kurapica had an odd look on their face when I glanced at them.

"Leorio..." before Kurapica could finish his sentence, the old lady intervened, "Wait! I won't allow you to talk among each other. From now on, any useless words will be punished by disqualification. Well, answer 1 if you accept the quiz, 2 if you refuse."

Kurapica answered 1 before anyone could protest which earned him a growl from Leorio.

The old woman continued on with her question, "Your son and your daughter have been kidnapped and you can only save one. Which one do you choose? 1 the daughter, 2 the son. Five seconds…"

Ugh! I don't know! I hope Kurapica gets it though but from the looks of it, he wasn't going to speak. Gon on the other hand was just looking somewhere else. Fine, I'll just kill this old lady if she won't let me pass. Meanwhile, Leorio took out a long wooden stick when the old woman was counting. He jumped for the old woman once the time limit was over. But then, the Kuruta boy blocked his attack.

"Why did you stop me?" Leorio yelled, clearly frustrated.

"We won and you want to mess everything up? We gave the right answer, Leorio. Silence was the correct answer."

I was baffled. This is so confusing! The old woman opened a gate for us to enter. She said that it was the right path to the tall tree and it would only take 2 hours to reach the top. Kurapica explained to us why it was the correct answer. I got the most part of it at least. Gon, on the other hand, didn't.

"Grandma, I owe you an apology…" Leorio said sincerely.

"It's because I wanted to meet guys like you that I accepted this job. Hang on and you'll become a good hunter."

* * *

The four of us walked in silence in the dark, straight path. Gon has been quiet since we entered this tunnel.

"If someday, really, I could only save one person out of those who are close to me…what would I do?" Gon suddenly blurted out, "I don't say this to have an answer to the question, but…a day may come where I'll have to make that kind of choice."

Leorio and Kurapica shared a look of confusion with each other but decided to stay quiet.

Silence enveloped us again. I thought about what Gon said.

If I have to make that choice someday,

_...You have to imagine everything,_

I'll do what is best for the Ryodan.

_...even the worst,_

Surely, that is what my brother expects me to do.

_...because reality..._

The Ryodan is everything I have.

_...doesn't have a place for feelings._

They are my family.

At least that's what I think right now.

* * *

Review, review~

Arigatou for reading!


	5. Chapter 4 Kiriko

This is a bit shorter than the other chapters. Hope you'll like it though.

I also want to say thank you to those who reviewed. Your comments really helped a lot.

_Enjoy~!_

**DISCLAIMER: Hunter x Hunter along with all the characters and plot doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the awesome mangaka - Togashi Yoshihiro.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Kiriko**

* * *

Once we were out of the dark hall where the old lady led us in, we were back again to the forests. But, compared to the lush green forest from before, this place was devoid of light. There was a swamp near the exit and a boat sitting at the shoreline. The four of us boarded the small boat. Gon and Kurapika rows while Leorio and I did nothing. Well, the truth is, I did nothing while Leorio ranted on about several incoherent things.

The fog made it harder for us to navigate through the murky waters. I was swept away by my thoughts until I saw something move in the water, "Look at that, it's another 'beware of beasts' sign."

They turned their attention to the third sign we saw since we left the dark hall. And then everybody went silent again until Gon spoke up, "I was thinking. How can we get approved by the navigator?"

"It has to do with appearance," I resisted the urge to smack Leorio's head, "If so, Gon and Kiyomi, you won't be approved. Kurapika will probably be disqualified too, because of his height. That means I'm the only one who will be approved by the navigator."

"Is that true?" Gon asked. Kurapika and I shared a look before answering, "No."

"They might base it on different things not just strength; for example, knowledge or intelligence. Gon, you should emphasize something you are good at. You are good at many things; you just need to realize them,"

"For me, I have guts. I'll be fine with any monster that appears," Leorio announced. He didn't even realize that our expression changed. Behind him, was a big river monster with glowing red eyes.

"Leorio, look behind you."

And then he started shouting for his dear life. He rowed the oars like crazy until we reach the shore. He didn't stop rowing Kurapika pointed out his humiliating behavior. We dismounted the poor boat and searched the shore for any clues and found an old stone tablet. Weird writing was inscribed and the only one who can read it was Kurapika. Now that I thought of it, Kurapika was just like Shalnark; very intuitive and sharp. They both come in handy most of the time.

* * *

"We're finally here!" announced Leorio as we stood in front of a wooden camping cabin under the tall tree.

"How quiet, are we the only ones to have gotten this far?" Kurapika wondered. Nobody answered the question.

Leorio went in but stopped, befuddled at the sight that he saw. Inside the house was a monster that resembled a hybrid of rat and fox, holding captive a young woman. The husband was on the floor; he was injured. Before any of us could react, the monster leapt out of the house, knocking the three guys down to the ground on the process. Good thing I was a little on the back so I dodged him easily.

Gon ran at top speed towards the direction of the beast. Kurapika followed suit after instructing Leorio, "Leorio, take care of the wounded!"

"You can count on me!" was the older man's reply.

_Now, what should I do? They left me behind! Should I follow them or stay here? _

"Kiyomi, can you give me a hand here?"

* * *

All the time, I was bothered by the aura given off by the wounded man. It wasn't human even though it assumed the shape of one. I decided not to ask.

We finished bandaging the man's wounds. Good thing they weren't that deep. Leorio also injected him with some kind of medicine, "This should do it for a while. Is there a place around here that has Midakudo plants?"

"I know where it is," the wounded man replied, "But it's far, also, beasts might appear."

"I'll get it," I instantly volunteered. I was bored to death. I couldn't stay here for another minute so I stood up and urged for the injured man to tell me where the plants can be found. Leorio was about to protest but I won't back down from this one. I raised my right hand and released a fair amount of aura. Even though, Leorio wasn't as sensitive as Kurapika with nen, I bet he could still sense danger.

Slowly, I made my way to the area with the Midakuda plants, jumping from one branch to another. According to the wounded man, it grows on the walls of a certain cliff. Once I arrived, I glanced down on the steep-sloped terrain. There were pointed rocks at the bottom but I also saw some vegetation growing at the walls of the cliff.

_Wait, what does Midakuda look like? I forgot to ask Leorio!_ There were about five types of plants down there. I decided to consult someone and took out my phone to call Shalnark. It rung a few times until he finally answered.

"Hey, Kiyomi-chan, do you need something?"

"Yep. Can you send me a picture of a Midakuda plant?"

"Of course, hang on."

"Thank you very much, Shal-kun!" I thanked him after receiving the message with the photo attached on it.

"No problem. But, why do you need that anyway?"

"Uhmm…It's for the Hunter Exams."

"I see. By the way, I just want to remind you about the reunion in York Shin on September. Danchou also asked me to tell you to call him immediately."

"Okay. I'll do that right away." I said and hanged up. I dialed Nii-san's number next and waited for him to pick up. The phone just kept on ringing so I began to climb down the cliff. The phone was pressed in between my right shoulder and ear to prevent it from falling. He answered while I was about to grab the Midakuda plant.

"Kuroro-nii?"

"Yes. Good thing you called. Were you able to get the book?"

His voice was cold as always but I was used to it.

"Uhh, which one?"

"The one being auctioned at the Whale Island docks."

"Ah yes, I already sent it to you."

I almost forgot about that! I was originally at whale island for that purpose and since I heard that there was a ship there that will take me to the hunter exams, I decided to wait.

"Good. Where are you?

"Near Zaban City."

"Why are you there?"

"It's for the hunter exams. Don't worry; I can take care of myself!"

"I wasn't worrying. Since you're going to take the exams, can you do a mission for me?"

"Of course, what is it?"

"Look out for Hisoka, he is also taking the exams."

"…"

Chills ran down my spine as an image of the sadistic clown flashed in my mind. I know the Ryodan are filled with weird people but he was the worst among the group. There was something off about him. He barely shows up on designated meetings and he wasn't the type to take missions as seriously as the others. It was as if he was a detached limb.

"Can you do that?"

"Sure."

"…"

I hanged up since it was clear that he didn't have anything else to add. It's obvious that he never says goodbye in any phone conversations. He's always occupied by those books even while talking on the phone. I don't know how he manages that though.

When the call ended, I was already on top of the cliff with the Midakuda plant on my hand. I took off to the direction of the wooden cabin. The forest was dense and dark, much darker than before; I could barely see anything so I relied on the trail of aura that I purposely left when I was navigating before. Soon enough, the cabin came into view.

* * *

Leorio gave the wounded man the concoction that he made from the Midakuda. After that, the wounded man led us to the forest. I was confused like Leorio but I didn't complain. He didn't seem dangerous even though he wasn't human. We arrived at a clearing and immediately spotted Gon and Kurapika. In front of them were two fox-rat beasts like the one we encountered earlier. According to Kurapika, they are Kirikos – beasts that assumed the shape of humans.

Apparently, Gon was able to tell their difference. Kurapika and Leorio shared a look. I was confused too. Honestly, they look perfectly the same to me.

"Me and my wife are your navigators," one of the beasts announced.

The young woman who was suppose to be the kidnapped wife spoke, "For those who wear this tattoo, the young girls of the ancestral clan 'Sumi' wear it in witness of a promise of marriage made to a God and to no one else. Without an excellent knowledge of ancient history, it is impossible to decipher it. The wise Kurapika-san was not fooled and understood that we were not husband and wife."

"Leorio-san and Kiyomi-san understood nothing until the end," the injured man taunted, "but Leorio-san knew how to give me first-aid, maybe better than a doctor. Above all, when I was worried and asking for news of my 'wife', he stayed confident and spoke reassuringly. Kiyomi-san, on the other hand, was very courageous. She volunteered to get the medicine without hesitation even though I warned her of the dangers."

I took it as a compliment even though Leorio's face showed otherwise.

"As for Gon, he walked straight ahead, showing extraordinary movement and observation. We will take you to testing site."

Gon's toothed-grin was truly contagious. The three of them high-fived and without me knowing it, I was being forced to do the same. I couldn't help but smile at their antics.

The Kirikos started flapping their huge wings. The two adults were carried by the huge ones while Gon and I were carried by the son and daughter. The wind was soothing.

_Tomorrow will be the real exams. I can't wait!_

* * *

Finally, next chapter will be about the main exams! Killua will be there as well. Ha ha!

Review, review~Thanks for reading~


	6. Chapter 5 First Phase, Part 1

There will be a part 2 for the first phase. I'll be uploading it soon. Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapters!

_Enjoy~_

**DISCLAIMER: Hunter x Hunter along with all the characters and plot doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the awesome mangaka - Togashi Yoshihiro.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: First Phase**

* * *

"Tsubashi quarter, second district, 5th block, 10th building…"

Yes. Zaban city is unexpectedly vast. Probably one of the largest I've been in. Kiriko-san, as Gon named him, led us along the busy streets of the said community. Of course, he disguised himself as a normal human being to avoid unnecessary panic.

"That building across," the navigator pointed to the other side of the street.

His eyes were squeezed into tiny slits so I couldn't really tell where he is looking at. Our eyes followed his index finger. Directly in front of us was a colossal sized building with elegant decorations. The hunter society must really be wealthy to afford this kind of building. Beside me, the other three also stared at the building with awe. We were all fired up.

"No, not there…here," our attention was redirected to the neighboring establishment – a cheap, shabby restaurant.

I resisted the urge to face-palm and voiced out my doubts instead, "What's with the theme, Kiriko-san? I only see a boring restaurant."

"Hey navigator, if this is a joke, it's in bad taste! You want us to believe that thousands of candidates are waiting inside?" Leorio added.

"Precisely," the navigator replied.

When we entered the restaurant, the people inside were pretty normal customers. Even the waitress and the cook looked normal.

"Welcome! What would you like?"

"Steak combo," mister navigator replied.

The cook's lips curled into a knowing smirk and asked, "How do you want it cooked?"

"Carefully cooked under a weak flame."

We were then ushered to the back wherein an empty room awaited us. Mister navigator stayed outside the door before handing over some numbered pins. My number was 406.

"One out of ten thousand candidates gets this far. You did well for new candidates. I would be pleased to be your navigator next year as well."

Once the door was closed, a clicking sound was heard before the ground started moving. It turned out that the whole room was a huge elevator.

"He's making fun of us. As if he were sure we won't pass this year!" Leorio, being his pessimistic self, complained again.

"One every three years, that's the number of candidates who pass this test on their first try." Kurapika explained.

The elevator door opened again and this time, we were in a deep dark tunnel. Heads were turned as the four of us entered the already crowded room. The three boys beside me tensed as they also realized that the people here were a level higher than the ones we already encountered. Still, I say there's only one, no, there are two people here that should be avoided.

I skimmed through the pool of contestants until I found the source of the nagging aura. It was Hisoka. For a brief moment, his eyes shifted to us and I knew he saw me. I avoided the eye contact and browsed for the other person. His aura was a lot calmer than Hisoka's but still, I had to be sure. It was a man, I think, with nails embedded around his head.

"Hey Gon, I'm going to look around for a bit. I'll see you guys later."

"Ok, Kiyomi-chan."

I started walking towards Hisoka and surely, he was also looking at where I'm coming from. His bizarre grin never left his face. Half way through, I was intercepted by a rectangular-nosed, tubby man who held his hands out for me to shake.

"Hello there! I'm Tompa and I'm a veteran in the hunter exams. You're new, aren't you?"

"Yes, this is my first time taking the exams. Nice meeting you, Tompa-san!" I chirped in a fake enthusiastic voice. I shook his hand and smiled innocently just to avoid ambiguity. This man is too friendly for his own good. He has the same deceitful feeling in him like Mashu.

"Ah! By the way, do you want a drink?" Tompa held out a can of orange soda.

"Okay, thanks!"

I took the can of soda and opened it carefully. Tompa, on the other hand, haven't moved from his position and was eyeing me while I fidget with the can. I was about to drink but stopped half-way when I heard someone yelling.

"Oi! Tompa! Would you give me another can?" a white haired boy exclaimed heading towards us. He was only a bit taller than me so I assumed that he was about my age just like Gon. I also noticed that his scent was tainted with blood. It's the same scent I get from my comrades. The same scent I got from myself. He doesn't know nen yet but I can tell there was more to him than meets the eye.

Tompa rummaged through his bag with a slightly nervous expression. After fishing out three more cans of orange soda, he handed it over to the peculiar boy.

"Don't worry, it's not a poison that will kill me," the boy stated in an all-knowing manner. Meanwhile, Tompa was still having an inner battle as his face turned from worry, then shock and then irritation.

"Are you going to drink that?" the white haired boy asked as he eyed my can of soda.

"No, you can have it,"

By this time, Tompa began to make his escape as he realized that his scheme was foiled. I didn't stop him though. The boy chugged down all the remaining cans.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Kiyomi, how about you?"

"How old are you?"

"How rude! You didn't answer my question."

"I'm-"

**AAAAAAAAAAH!**

A shrill shout echoed throughout the underground tunnel. All heads turned to the main attraction – a clown-like man standing in front of an amputated man kneeling to the ground. His two arms were cut off cleanly while he wriggled in agony.

"Oh, how strange~ He doesn't have any arms~," the magician mused. "You have to be more careful and apologize when you hit someone~"

_Showoff._

* * *

A few minutes later, a piercing noise startled the crowd and everybody turned to the direction of the noise. A man wearing a maroon velvet suit descended in front of the candidates. He was holding some sort of device which he used to get our attention. The most mysterious thing about the man is he didn't have a mouth.

"The reception is over, we will now start the exam," the mouth-less man announce. "This way please."

The crowd silently moved while the mouth-less man explained the hunter exams. Seemingly, he was our first examiner and he's called Satotsu. He also warned the candidates about the dangers of the exams. I didn't really paid attention to the rest of his speech as I made my way back to Gon's group.

"If you all agree to this, then please follow me. I will bring you to the second part of the exam."

A few minutes after the examiner finished talking, he picked up the pace. A little bit later, everyone was running to keep up with him. Satotsu, however, was still walking in his stiff-postured manner but his feet were moving very fast. It was like he was just having a stroll at the park.

I stayed behind Gon, Leorio and Kurapika. They were talking but I couldn't focus on what they were conversing about. Since we started running, I could feel Hisoka's gaze boring a hole through my back. The nagging aura from before became more intense, probably because he just killed someone. I didn't dare to look back.

Suddenly, a gust of wind from my left brought me out of my thoughts. A familiar white-haired dashed past us on his skateboard. His hands were buried on his pockets. I forgot to ask for his name.

Leorio, being Leorio yelled after the mysterious boy, "Hey, that's not fair! You're cheating!"

A long argument soon followed and I decided not to take part on their argument. Kurapika stayed behind as well.

* * *

3 Hours Later

Leorio wasn't looking so good. He was sweating and panting hardly. He was incredibly tired. Finally, he stopped running and doubled over.

"Are you ok?" Gon asked worriedly as he stopped beside Leorio. Kurapika and Tompa stopped as well.

"Are you guys stupid? He's finished," the white-haired boy stated casually as he eyed the group that stopped.

"That's not true and I couldn't just leave him here. He's a friend." Gon defended. I thought the white-haired boy was right but my feet involuntarily halted before I could run any further.

"Tompa-san, what should we do?"

"I think we might be able to regain his energy. The sweet smell that came from the other passage, it must be the smell of the Healing Cedar sap. If you smell that scent for a while, you can temporarily restore your energy."

_ How could they be so helpful to people they didn't know? There's probably a catch. _

Even though it might be a trap, Tompa dragged Leorio into the other passage. We watched them disappear into the darkness.

"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?" the white-haired boy asked.

"Ah, sorry we made you wait too. Go ahead," Gon replied.

"You're not coming?"

"Not until Leorio comes back," Kurapika nodded at Gon's answer.

Apparently, they'll go after Tompa and Leorio. The two turned to follow the other two. I was glued to my spot and stared back at the white-haired boy. My mind debated on whether to follow them or continue on to the examiner's path. The white-haired boy didn't move as well. He looked appalled. Finally, my feet moved and I turned my back to the boy.

"You're going with them as well?"

"Yes, this test has already failed from my standards. I would rather enjoy watching those three."

I soon caught up with Gon and Kurapika when they were about to turn at the forked passage.

* * *

Thanks for reading, I hope you like it~!


	7. Chapter 6 First Phase, Part 2

I've been busy for ages! Well, actually it's summer vacation and I'm slacking off :P Anyway, here is a new chapter. I hope you'll like it!

_ Enjoy~_

**DISCLAIMER: Hunter x Hunter along with all the characters and plot doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the awesome mangaka - Togashi Yoshihiro**

* * *

**Chapter 5: First Phase, Part 2**

* * *

Three dim shadows ran through the seemingly endless dark tunnel. Our simultaneous footsteps and pants were the only recognizable sound. We were now on the right hand passage where the Healing Cedar sap is. The sweet scent of the sap kept on getting stronger and stronger as we go deeper into the path. We came to an abrupt stop once we saw a figure sprawled on the ground.

"Tompa-san! What's wrong?" Gon ran towards the fallen figure and started to help him up.

Tompa, on the other hand, looked petrified as he pointed to where Leorio was supposed to be in, "Hurry, save Leorio. This is the first time I've seen this kind of trap….Hurry!"

Without second thoughts, the two guys ran into the deep tunnel leaving me behind without a word. I suppose they were that concerned and worried for Leorio. Before I followed them, I gave Tompa one more glance and he stood there visibly nervous at the action that I made. The innocent little girl from before was now livid and impassive. I decided to let him go this time, after all, it wouldn't be hard to dispatch him later if he ever tried something like that again.

"Leorio! Where are you?" Gon shouted, his voice echoing back to us.

We ran further and I let my 'en' search for the missing man. The intoxicating scent of the sap became more of a nuisance as we trudged along and I couldn't focus on locating even a single trace of aura. Strangely, I was starting to feel nauseous and dizzy. Suddenly, Kurapika oddly stopped on his tracks and held his weapon protectively in front of him. His face contorted in agony and his eyes were shut tightly.

"Kurapika-san?" I asked, stopping in mid-stride as I trained my eyes to the blonde who is now standing in front of me. Gon went over and stood beside Kurapika. The older boy was facing directly in front of him with his blue orbs almost bulging out of its sockets. He looked scared and he was shaking uncontrollably. Gon and I watched as the blonde tried to fight his current condition as he blinked his eyes wildly.

Suddenly, his eyes shot open and his pupils were no longer blue but a bright crimson. I let out a gasp of surprise and let my cool façade slip away. There were two words that subtly came out of his lips, "Genei-Ryodan."

The nauseous feeling multiplied and I felt cold sweat cover my body. I took two steps back when I felt the urge to distance myself from the boy but stopped abruptly as I felt the darkness swallow my mind.

* * *

_There was nothing except for the darkness that enveloped my line of sight. I couldn't see anything until everything changed from black to red. As quick as it came, it vanished. A very familiar scene took its place. _

_I couldn't feel anything. My body and senses felt numb. I felt hollow as if I lost something important. It was a very unpleasant feeling and I didn't know how it came to me. More so, I didn't know how to make it go away._

_Three days ago, my brother sent me to a mission to eliminate some people in a large delinquent town called Atale. It was a weird a mission since he didn't ask me to steal anything. Another thing is he didn't pair me up with another member but I followed nonetheless. It took me three days to finish and I was heading back to the hideout._

_I didn't bother to clean up myself before going back. Fresh blood stained my arms and hands. My clothes were also soaked with blood. All the people that saw me ran away in fear. Some just gave disgusted looks and stalked off. Some looked at me with pity. Maybe they thought it was my blood. I didn't care. My mind was focused on how to make this empty feeling go away. _

_Suddenly, I heard people laughing. In the middle of an old playground stood a group of children. They were throwing a ball around, running and laughing at the same time. I stood outside the fence. The hollow feeling inside my chest doubled. I didn't know why._

_The ball bounced around and unexpectedly crossed the playground fence. It landed beside my feet. I stared at it and looked back to the children inside the playground. I know what would happen next. They will scream and scamper away in terror, anytime now…_

_AAAAAHH!_

_I thought so. I let out a small giggle but it was a dry one. There was no joy or happiness in it. Just a plain expression of 'I knew it'. _

_My eyes never left the ball on my feet. And so, out of curiosity, I crouched down and picked it up. But when I turned back to the playground, my eyes landed on a lone figure of a boy. His dark chocolate hair was a mess and he was staring at me with a plain face. _

"_What happened to you?" he asked. _

_I didn't answer. Instead, I entered the small playground. He wasn't shivering nor did he show any signs of fear. More so, he refused to run away like the others._

"_Are you hurt? Come, I'll take you to the hospital," he grasped my bloody hand but I didn't move. His face became one of concern. Was he offering help? Didn't he know that he should be running away right now?_

"_Oh! You can't speak, can you?"_

"_I'm not hurt."_

_Suddenly, he started laughing. Why? I didn't know. I didn't notice that a smile crept out of my lips. The desolate spot in my chest oddly felt absorbed._

_Everything went black again as a new scene uncovered. This time, I was in our hideout beside my brother. He was, as always, reading one of his treasured books. His unreadable expression was the same as ever. _

"_How was Atale?" he spoke in a monotone, I was startled by the sudden start of a conversation._

"_It was easy, nii-san," he nodded slightly to urge me to continue. "But…when I was on my way home, there was this boy I met in a playground. He was also 7 years old. Guess what, he didn't run away from me when he saw me covered with blood. He even asked me to play with him!" _

_This time Kuroro looked away from his book to give me a glance. He stared right into my eyes. I just realized how stupid I was. I shouldn't have told him about that. _

"_Kiyomi-chan, it's dangerous to keep unknown people close to you. Don't attach yourselves with the people outside the troupe. Again, you're showing your weakness. "_

_There was nothing said after that, only contemplative looks were exchanged and I didn't engage in asking for clarifications. It wasn't an order but that look alone told me that he was disappointed and what I had to do. Next thing I know, I was heading back to dispatch the boy._

_My vision began to fade to black again as I was forced to relive another dreaded scene. It was a year after the incident in Atale. I was sitting on the edge of a cliff watching the rest of the Ryodan fighting below. Their mission was to eliminate the whole Kuruta tribe and steal their exquisite bloodshot eyes. Although they were greatly outnumbered, it seems like they weren't having that much trouble as anyone would have thought. A sudden rush of dejection pulsed through my body. I felt useless since I was only there to watch – just a mere spectator. _

_All my life was spent on watching and observing the people around me. I've always admired my brother and I wanted to be just like him. He was always calm and collected, he was really strong and everybody respected him for he always put the Spider first before anything. Whatever I do, I couldn't match up to him so I tried to abide on his expectations._

_An approaching aura brought me out of my train of thoughts. A young boy, probably five years older, whizzed past me heading towards the forest. He had golden blonde hair and his eyes were glowing crimson, they were welling with tears. He stopped when he noticed me sitting there. From his looks, I can decipher that he's from the same tribe that were fighting below. _

"_What are you doing? You'd get killed if you stay there," he yelled at me. I just stared back. _

_He was waiting for me but I didn't know what to do. My brother and the other members were too occupied from their battle and this boy is about to escape. I felt my chest throb at the sudden concern from the stranger. Was he offering help? Didn't he know that he should be running away right now? Should I kill him? But I was only allowed to watch, right?_

_Before I could decide, the imaginary realm melted and I was brought back to the same black space that I was in before._

* * *

I was brought out of my trance as the stinging sensation of being hit in the face came to my senses. My breathing was uneven and I could feel my body trembling from the after effects of the vision. I bet I looked pathetic in this state.

"What happened?" I asked while I tried to stand up. Apparently, someone just kicked me on the face while I was unconscious and that someone is one of the people who are looming over me right now.

"You were hallucinating."

I directed my attention to the voice that spoke. It was the white-haired boy from before. From the looks of it, Gon had found Leorio who also suffered from hallucination. Kurapika also looked fine now but I tried to avoid his gaze at all instance. For a brief moment there, I thought that he knew that I was a Spider. He was just hallucinating though.

"There is no such thing as Healing Cedar sap. The sweet smell from this tunnel would actually make you hallucinate and relive your worst memory," the white-haired boy explained.

That's my worst memory? Back then, I was just plainly confused about those events. I always wanted to be as strong as Nii-san so I followed all his orders. I just didn't understand the empty feeling in my chest. It hurts but I became numb as years go by.

"How are we going to catch up to the examiner? We're on the other side of the tunnel," Kurapika asked.

The white-haired boy dug his hand on his pocket and fished out a small metal packet.

"Using this."

A sudden explosion stopped the candidates from their exhausting marathon. The right wall blew up and five figures emerged from the thick smoke. Tompa, who was near the explosion had his eyes bulged out from their sockets as he watched the five rookies land gracefully in front of him – the five rookies that he thought were eliminated by him.

"What's the meaning of this?" the examiner, Satotsu, questioned the five people who were responsible for the huge hole in the wall.

"There was no rule that says we can't damage the walls, right?" the white-haired boy defended.

Deep inside, Satotsu thought that this year's candidates were truly a great batch. From his experience, no one has ventured through that passage and was able to get back to the other side. He didn't show it but he was truly pleased with this year's hunter exams.

* * *

Kiyomi's POV

The crowd started to run again but this time, we were heading to the stairs that will lead us to the exit. Leorio still haven't recovered from his fatigue and so, Kurapika and him were stuck somewhere at the back of the swarm of candidates.

"I didn't notice that we were in the front," Gon stated casually.

"It's because the rhythm isn't very fast. In fact, not moving the fastest way is more tiring." The white-haired boy replied. The three of us were directly behind the examiner. The others were lagging behind.

"By the way, you haven't told us your name yet," I asked, remembering the time he was cut off because of Hisoka's little show.

"I'm...Killua," I can sense his guard was up whenever he talks to me just like Kurapika. They were probably more sensitive to nen unlike the others.

"Nice meeting you, Killua-kun" I chirped to make him feel at ease. I doubt it would even work though.

"Why do you want to be a hunter, Killua?" Gon inquired.

"I don't really want to be a hunter. I've heard it was extremely hard, and I thought it sounded interesting. But I'm disappointed."

"You and Kiyomi-chan almost have similar reasons," Gon said, glancing at me as if trying to remember something.

A look of confusion passed his face before asking Gon again, "How about you?"

"My father is a hunter! My goal is to become a hunter like him!"

Our conversation was cut off as we realized that we were near the exit. All of the remaining candidates let out sighs of relief, some even howled for joy. The light that was emitted from the exit above energized the remaining candidates.

"Numelle's Marsh, also called 'The Crooks' Nest'. This is the place where the second round will stand: you'll have to go though there. The rare animals you'll find in the marsh eat humans for lunch. Follow me and pay close attention. Losing the way results in death."

After everyone was outside, the exit to the tunnel was closed. Everyone listened in to the rest of the explanation until a bloody, battered man appeared.

"That's an impostor! He's lying to all of you, I'm the real examiner!" the battered man accused the examiner. Satotsu, on the other hand, didn't even look surprised. The candidates started to become confused and asked for proofs. However, I didn't bother to listen in to their argument.

There are two reasons why I strongly believe that Satotsu is the real examiner. First, there is no way a real examiner would lose to a marsh creature or something. To be able to be an examiner, you have to be an outstanding hunter. Second, Satotsu's aura was flowing with perfection. It was fluid even though he was trying to hide it. He definitely knows nen unlike the man claiming to be our examiner. His aura didn't even feel human.

I was brought out of my train of thoughts when three pieces of cards flew towards the rambling man. His face was sliced and he fell to the ground with a 'thud'. Satotsu, on the other hand, caught four cards between his fingers.

_Playing cards, that would be Hisoka. _Everybody turned their attention to the magician shuffling his deck. He was cackling in delight.

"I see, I see. With this, it's all cleared. He's really the real judge~," the magician mused. "In fact, judges are hunters that do this freely at the jury's request so there's nothing odd about a hunter stopping that kind of attack~."

"I'll take that as a compliment. However, the next time you use such intervention against me, whatever the reason, you'll be disqualified. Am I understood?" Satotsu warned.

"Yes, yes~"

Number of participants entering the marsh: 311

* * *

The group started to run again led by Satotsu. This time, it felt more dangerous than when we were in the tunnel. A thick fog hovered around the candidates. Soon, the only people I can see are Killua and Gon on my left.

"Let's go to the front," Killua said.

"Yep, we should keep an eye on the judge," Gon declared.

"I just say it's more prudent to get away from Hisoka," a shiver went up to my spine as I felt the growing aura of the said magician. I could feel his killing intent was rising by the second. Killua was right, he'd go berserk any moment now.

"He wants to kill somebody. No doubt he'll use the fog," I stated as I tried to hide my anxiety. Killua just nodded while Gon looked confused.

"How do you two know that?" Gon voiced out his question.

"It's because we're the same – just like Hisoka," Killua explained, throwing a quick glance at my direction.

"Leorio! Kurapika! Killua says it's better to go to the front!" Gon yelled through the thick fog. I couldn't resist the urge to face-palm and I'm pretty sure Killua felt the same. Clearly, Gon didn't understand our situation right now. How naïve could he be?

"Idiot! If we could go there, we would!" Leorio shouted back.

Suddenly, helpless screams echoed through the silent marsh. They were either being massacred by Hisoka or being devoured by the marsh creatures. Gon turned pale beside me. I can tell he was agitated and worrying for Leorio and Kurapika but we can't do anything about that.

"Gon, it's not the time to be worrying about them. The best you can do is pray you don't hear your friends crying!" Killua said. All I could do was nod.

As if on cue, a familiar pain-filled scream was heard. Gon, being Gon, went back to find Leorio and Kurapika who were definitely in trouble. Again, I was faced with a hard decision. _Should I follow him or not?_

I said I would still like to keep an eye on those interesting people but I didn't want to see that sadistic clown. If it was the marsh monsters that caught them, they would most likely find a way around it. However, if it was Hisoka, they won't even last a minute against him.

"Idiot, don't tell me you would follow them again?" Killua asked, his face showed exactly how perplexed he is.

I didn't bother answering his question and ran off towards the direction of the pain-filled screams.

* * *

_Thanks for reading~_


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